Battle of the S Class: Second Time Around
by Jon Cook
Summary: When the dust settles, what happens to our favorite teams? What's this? Some new enemy?
1. Default Chapter

Here is my new Zoids fic. I hope you like it.  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own NGE or Zoids. Don't bother suing me, you'll get nothing outta me.  
  
The Battle of the S Class: 2nd Time Around  
Part 1  
  
Shinji had been lying down on the sofa. He hadn't moved since their last zoid battle, two days ago. The repetitive motion of his chest rising and falling was the only proof that he was still alive. Everyone, even Ritsuko, was worried about him. Misato was the first one who dared to approach him, and try to snap him out of it.  
  
"Shinji, what's wrong?"  
  
Silence.  
  
"Is it the food?"  
  
Silence.  
  
"Was it the battle?"  
  
"That's exactly what's wrong, Misato."  
  
"What about the battle?"  
  
"The fact that we always win. For as long as you've been with us, can you consciously recall a loss?"  
  
Misato had nothing to say to that.  
  
"We've been winning too much. I've been thinking about throwing a battle, just to lose."  
  
"That's what you've been doing? Thinking about how to lose?" screeched Asuka in disbelief.  
  
"That and girls in swimsuits." he replied. Misato chuckled slightly and Asuka punched him. He winced and rubbed his arm lightly. "That wasn't necessary, Asuka."  
  
"I know. But you're still a pervert." she replied, glaring at her teammate.  
  
Misato paused, and thought for a bit on how to improve Shinji's mood, when suddenly, she was struck with an idea. "I just had an idea. Why don't we invite the Blitz team over for dinner? You know, kinda as a way of saying sorry for beating them so badly." This was the first good non-combat idea that she has had in a long time. The others looked at her in surprise, and Shinji looked at her as if lobsters had started to crawl out of her nose.  
  
"That's not a bad idea, Misato. I'll call them later today to ask." said Asuka. If it would help Shinji get out of his depression, she'd gladly do it.  
  
"Thanks, Asuka. Say, have any of you seen Rei around lately?" asked Shinji.  
  
"I saw her using the vid-phone about five minutes ago." replied Ritsuko. "I don't know who she was talking to." Just as she finished talking, Rei walked in.   
  
"Oh, Rei, there you are. Who were you talking to on the phone?" asked Shinji.   
  
"It was a person claiming to be from the Backdraft Group." She responded. Everyone knew the Backdraft group's reputation. "And they wanted to challenge us to a battle." All the people in the room drew in an apprehensive breath.  
  
"And did you accept?" asked Misato.  
  
"No, I told them to call back later." replied Rei. Everyone released the breath that they had been holding.  
  
"Good. Now we can get them back where it hurts." said Shinji, sporting an evil grin, one better suited for a Backdraft officer than to a law-abiding zoid warrior.  
  
"Shinji, what are you thinking about?" asked Ritsuko, noticing his grin.  
  
"Tactics."  
  
"Well, don't think too hard, we need you for the battle." Misato said. "Asuka, why don't you make that call now."  
  
"Yeah, sure." Asuka replied as she walked to the vid-phone.  
  
&@&@&@&@&@&@&@&@&  
  
The vid-phone rang on the wall of the Hover Cargo's living room, but no one wanted to answer it. They were all too depressed to answer. Finally, after being fed up with the rings, Jamie got up to check who was calling. He pressed the 'respond' button next to the screen. Jamie was promptly met with the face of an angry red-head.  
  
"WHAT HAPPENED OVER THERE?!? DID ALL OF YOU DIE JUST NOW?!? Oh, hello. Uh...sorry about that."  
  
"Blitz Team. Jamie speaking. How can I help you?" Jamie always was the polite one.  
  
"Yeah, hi. This is the Penguin team calling. All of us felt kinda bad about beating your team like that, so as a way of saying sorry, we'd like to invite all of you to dinner at our place." Every member of the Blitz team perked up and paid attention immediately.   
  
"Judging from your reactions, I'd say that you're accepting our invitation."  
  
"I guess we do. What time do you want us to arrive?" asked Jamie.  
  
"About 7 'o clock Thursday would be perfect."  
  
"Great. How do we get to your place?"  
  
"Go to these co-ordinates. We'll be there when you arrive." answered Asuka, sending a set of numbers over to the hovercargo's computer.  
  
"Thank you." said Jamie.  
  
"No problem." replied Asuka before she cut the connection.  
  
"Okay guys, we've been invited to dinner. What do you think about that?" said Jamie as he asked around. Almost everyone cheered while Brad just nodded his head and smiled.  
  
"That's the day after tomorrow. It'll take us a while to get there." Commented Jamie.  
  
"Well, that's not that big a deal. If we use the Hover Cargo, it won't take that long to get there." said Doc Tauros.   
  
"So we're going, right?" asked Bit.  
  
"Yes, we're going to accept their offer and have dinner with them." replied Doc Tauros.  
  
Another round of cheers went up.  
  
&@&@&@&@&@&@&@&@&  
  
"Okay, I asked them and they accepted." said Asuka as she walked back into the living room of their transport.   
  
"When are they coming over?" asked Rei.  
  
"Thursday, at 7:00."  
  
"Okay, I need to think of what to serve. Any suggestions?" asked Shinji.  
  
"A soup would be good. You can make it in large quantities, I mean, you are feeding ten people." suggested Misato.  
  
"That'll be nice. We haven't had a good soup in a while. Any other ideas?"  
  
Everybody pretty much agreed with the idea of soup. Shinji knew that it would be a vegetable soup since Rei was a vegetarian. He got off of the couch and started to make a list of everything that he would need for dinner.  
  
&@&@&@&@&@&@&@&@&  
  
A lone figure sat before a comm screen, the only light coming from said machine. A sinister chuckle emanated from the figure.   
  
"Soon, Penguin team, soon. All of my plans will soon come to fruition, and all of your zoids will belong to the Backdraft group."  
  
Evil laughter filled the room. 


	2. Return

Disclaimer: I have never owned Zoids. As much as I'd like to own the DeathStinger, I can't have one.  
  
  
  
Battle of the S Class: Second Time Around  
part 2  
  
by Jon Cook  
  
  
  
  
Thursday came around and the Blitz Team was traveling to the co-ordinates given to them by the Penguin Team. Earlier that day the Penguin Team contacted them and told them that it was a casual dinner, so everyone was dressed in a relaxed fashion.   
  
"I wonder what kind of transport they have?" wondered Doc Tauros.  
  
"Wel, judging by the size of their largest zoid, the Ultima Dragon, it would have to be a supremely large transport." answered Jamie.  
  
"I wonder what they're like when they're not fighting?" asked Bit.  
  
"I suppose that they'd be like us. Maybe they just don't care as much about battling as the rest of the league." suggested Brad.  
  
"We're coming up on the co-ordinates they gave us." said Jamie.  
  
As the Hover Cargo cleared the ridge, they were treated to a sight. The Penguin Team's transport was huge. It appeared to be three Whale Kings welded together, or like siamese Whale King triplets. Painted on the side of the nose of the gargantuan aircraft over the black and red paint job, was an miage of a penguin. A penguin wearing a combat helmet carrying an assault rifle in one flipper and a can of beer in the other. Below the image was the name of the craft, The Scimitar. When they approached, the 'mouth' of the ship opened up. Asuka was waiting for them. After the Hover Cargo came to a complete stop, the Blitz team disembarked and walked up the ramp to meet with Asuka. She was wearing a sleeveless red blouse and a matching yellow skirt.  
  
"I'm glad that you could make it. You're a bit early but that's okay." said Asuka. "Please to meet you. I'm Asuka, pilot of the Artillery Liger."  
  
"So you're the one I fought. I'm Leena Tauros."  
  
"Hello. Why don't we all move into the living room, while we wait for dinner?" proposed Asuka as she led them inside the massive ship.  
  
"What kind of ship is this? It's huge. I've never seen anything like it before." asked Doc.  
  
"It's a Dreadnaut-class Whale King. We've put a lot of money into the Scimitar making it what it is now." Asuka replied. "You'd really have to ask Misato about it though, she was the one who got it for us."  
  
"If you don't mind me asking, when's dinner?" asked Bit.  
  
"Don't mind him, he's always hungry." interrupted Leena.  
  
"It's alright. Dinner will be ready in about half an hour." responded Asuka. They arrived in the living room to see Misato nursing her second beer of the evening. Misato was wearing a white long sleeve blouse over a pale purple tank top and blue shorts. Ritsuko was sitting across from her wearing her usual attire. (I'm not going to explain what she's wearing. Just watch Eva.) Rei was sitting next to Ritsuko, wearing a tight black turtleneck and black jeans.  
  
"Blitz Team, I'd like you to meet the rest of the Penguin Team. Misato Katsuragi, Ritsuko Akagi, and Rei Ayanami." Everyone looked up when they heard their names called out.   
  
"Hi." said Misato.  
  
"Hello." said Ritsuko.  
  
Rei just nodded.  
  
"Misato, Ritsuko, Rei, this is the Blitz Team." said Asuka introducing her guests.  
  
Introductions went all around as the Blitz Team introduced themselves.  
  
"Aren't you missing someone? Where's that other guy, the one that pilots the Ultima Dragon?"  
  
"You mean Shinji?" Misato asked. "He's in the kitchen, making dinner."  
  
As everyone sat down, the usual trite conversation was had by all in the room. When the half hour passed, Shinji walked into the room. He was wearing a light blue t-shirt with a white cross printed on the front, and grey slacks.  
  
"Hey everyone, dinner's ready. Oh, hello. I didn't know you were here. Anyway, dinner's ready. If you'd follow me." said Shinji, ushering his guests into the dining room. They sat down, each one facing their counterpart on the other team. Shinji sat across from Bit, Asuka from Leena, Brad from Rei, Misato from Jamie, and Ritsuko from Doc. Shinji brought out the meal, a large pot of a vegetable stew, and set it down in the middle of the table.  
  
"Vegetable stew?" questioned Bit.  
  
"Rei's a vegetarian. Either I make two meals every time we eat, or I make a vegetarian meal." answered Shinji. After the food was passed around, everyone broke down into their own little conversations with the person they were sitting across from.   
  
Bit, Shinji, Misato, and Jamie were involved in a discussion about tactics. Bit favoring hit-and-run over Shinji's idea of charging into combat and remaining in the thick until the enemy was defeated. Misato and Jamie were in agreement that airborn zoids were superior over land based zoids. This peace lasted until Bit pointed out that flying zoids were structurally weaker, and subequently inferior, than the zoids that moved on the ground.  
  
Asuka and Leena were arguing over what ammunition was superior to the other.   
  
Rei and Brad were just eating their food, not looking at the other. Rei was still upset that she lost.  
  
Doc Tauros and Ritsuko just talked idle chit-chat until Doc mentioned a new zoid that he had his eye on for a while. Then Ritsuko spoke up about some zoids that she was rebuilding. Specifically, a Molgas and a Command Wolf.   
  
The whole evening, which had been enjoyable up to now, quickly as Misato and Bit took the argument a little too personally, and began to throw food at each other. The fight brought in Leena and Asuka, after an errant bread roll hit the both of them. The whole fight lasted five minutes while everyone not involved with the fight hid under the table. Shinji and Jamie were holding their heads in utter mortification at their teammates behavior.  
  
After the fight, apologies were given and they were yelled at by their teammates. When that was over, Misato offered to wash the the soiled clothes and to give them something to wear while their clothes were being washed. Misato replaced her shirts with her baggy yellow shirt. Asuka offered a similar baggy shirt to Leena, except her shirt was red. Shinji gave Bit an old white dress shirt. They put the clothes in the washing machine, turned it on before going to the living room.  
  
"Now, what do we want to talk about?" asked Ritsuko. Before anyone could answer, the vid-phone rang. Shinji got up and answered the call.  
  
"Penguin team. Hello?" The person on the other end was a man dressed in black, with unkempt black hair, orange tinted eyeglasses, and a beard.  
  
"Hello Penguin team. I called earlier about the battle."  
  
"Backdraft." was all anyone said.   
  
"Good you remembered me. About that battle..."  
  
"The answer is no. We only fight in legitimate zoid battles. Besides, you couldn't offer us enough money to battle you." said Shinji defiantly.  
  
"If not for money, than how about your mother's life?" he asked. The screen changed to two women bound by rope to chairs.   
  
"Yui..." Ritsuko choked out. This admission left no doubt in Shinji's mind.  
  
"Who's that with her?" asked Asuka.  
  
"Your mother, miss Langely." he replied, motioning to the woman with dark shoulder length hair.   
  
Asuka took one look at her and broke down in tears. "Mamma..."  
  
"What do you want, you sadistic bastard?"  
  
"A battle. Mode 0999 at these co-ordinates."  
  
"In one week. We'll be there." replied Shinji. The evil figure smiled and closed the connection. "Blitz Team, I'm willing to give you half the money that you lost to us after we fought if you'll help us get me and Asuka's mother's back." he said with tears building in his eyes. Leena and Bit stood up and agreed to help. After his daughter agreed, Doc Tauros let the Penguin team have the Blitz Team at their disposal.   
  
"Good. Bring all your zoids on board. Ritsuko, I need you to work with Doc Tauros and get all the zoids ready for battle. If you have time, work on the Liger Zero's conversion armors as well." Ritsuko just nodded. It was impossible to convince Shinji of anything otherwise when he was like this.  
  
"In one week, Backdraft Group, your reign of terror ends." hissed Shinji.  
  
  
  
  
Next time: The preparations for battle begin. In one week, the battle happens. Lives are riding on this battle. Will the combined efforts of the Penguin and Blitz teams be enough?   
  
Ready, FIGHT!  
  
  
  
I'm sorry that this chapter took so long. School's been hanging over my head and my pre-reader decided to run-off somewhere without telling me. Finals begin soon, so hopefully I can get some more writing done. 


End file.
